Episode Description
My guest for this episode is an industry leader who’s full of insightful knowledge and advice, Sue McVie.
Sue is a purpose-led growth leader and entrepreneur who unlocks the potential in both people and ideas. Having worked with United Biscuits, her career progressed through the likes of Coca Cola, Pepsico and Vodafone before joining Kerry Foods in 2012 as Shopper Marketing Director and then as Managing Director for Oakhouse Foods in 2017. She is now a vital part of the Kerry Foods Leadership Team leading a portfolio of fast-growth DTC and Accelerator businesses.
In this episode, Sue and I discuss her stellar career in the food and drink arena. We discuss what it means to lead a business with real purpose – achieving business goals while doing good along the way. By assessing, testing and optimising along with the right leadership, Sue and her team were able to reinvent Oakhouse Foods and successfully double the business in a matter of 3 years! Sue explains the importance of continually referring to customer feedback, treating it as a gift and taking on board suggestions to better improve the products and service.
We also talk about what it was like to go through a pandemic while running a successful business. We discuss how leaders had to adapt and make big decisions extremely quickly, and how she used effective communication to combat uncertainty to support team members. Lastly, we talk about what Sue believes makes a great leader – which she says requires a level of authenticity and ability to unlock people’s full potential every day.
Enjoy!
As ever, if you’d like to get in touch you can reach me at Jonathan.ohagan@leaderexecutivesearch.com